CRAB demands killers' arrest by Friday

The crime reporters threaten to launch a movement over the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. Full Story

Dhaka, Feb 16 (bdnews24.com)-The crime reporters have threatened to launch a movement if the killers of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi are not arrested by Friday.

"Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh will announce bigger protest programmes if the murderers are not arrested by tomorrow," general secretary Israf Hossain Isha said on Thursday at a human-chain protest in front of the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) office in the capital.

The speakers at the programme also demanded the resignation of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner as police have failed to arrest those responsible even five days have passed.

Maasranga Television news editor Golam Mostofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, and his wife ATN Bangla senior reporter Runi were found murdered early on Saturday at their rented flat in west Rajabazar in the city.

Though home minister Shahara Khatun had ordered police to arrest the guilty within 48 hours, police are yet to arrest anyone or to make any progress.

Journalist leaders at Thursday's human-chain said that there is a huge lack of coordination between Rapid Action Battalion and other agencies investigating the case, which is hindering the arrest of the real killers.

They also alleged that police were spreading rumours over the incident instead of arresting the perpetrators.

DRU president Shakhawat Hossain Badshah said, "Different information will be disseminated to confuse us. We should not be circulating any of those pieces of information.

"A quarter will try to divert the course by providing false information," he told the journalists at the programme.

DRU general secretary Sazzad Alam Khan Tapu said, "Journalists will not accept it if there is an attempt to save the actual killers."

CRAB president Akhtaruzzaman Lablu asked the police not to provide confusing information. "The truth will be revealed even if there are conspiracies."

Journalist leader Sheikh Mamun said, "After claiming remarkable progress in the case, the inspector general of police has gone to Cox's Bazar. We want the truth. We don't want to become news headlines."

Former CRAB general secretary Moazzem Hossain Nannu at the programme alleged that police were now trying to orchestrate a drama after failing to resolve the mystery surrounding the murders.

Abu Saleh Aakon, another former CRAB general secretary, announced that they will remain on the streets until the murderers are arrested.

Among others, journalists Zakaria Kajal, Mahmudur Rahman Khokon, Ajmal Haque Helal, Abdul Gaffar Mahmud, Khairuzzaman Kamal, Moniruzzaman Ujjal and Moshiur Rahman also spoke at the protest programme.

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